AR-2ax woofer question

[mpr2000]

I'm restoring an early pair of AR-2xa speakers and had a question about what looks like a foam ring around/near the dust cap. It's pretty well disintegrating. Leave it alone? Remove it so it doesn't disintegrate all over when put back in use? Replace it with?

Dated both May and June of 1968.

 

[trinhsman]

I had a pair I restored and sold. I left the ring alone. Buyer was very happy with them the way he got them. Not sure if it is critical or not, just what I did with the ones I owned.

 

[ra.ra]

Yep, leave it alone. While it may not be especially attractive, no one has ever said that classic AR's look pretty when you peek under the hood. It may have originally had some specific diffraction properties, but still it adds some mass to the cone which I suspect has importance.

 

[mpr2000]

Ok - I'll leave it alone, not touch or breathe on. When I test and put the speakers through their paces, and find the crumbling continues is there a recommended replacement?

 

[trinhsman]

Ok - I'll leave it alone, not touch or breathe on. When I test and put the speakers through their paces, and find the crumbling continues is there a recommended replacement?

Nothing that I have seen or heard of.